Nitrates KILL

[mommyfish]

Hey...lastnight my 2 inch tang died and unforchanelty my sebae clown died too ...i have been battleing with nitrates for a month now and i think this is why they died...my nitrates were up 100.0 , i went out today and got a nitrate sponge and did a 15% water change again...now they nitrates are 60.0 i know thats still horrible...but i'm so happy to see them decrease just ALITTLE...they haven't moved all month besides tonight...is there anything else i could do to lower the nitrates? i been thinking about a skimmer? good choice?? please give all your oppinions...they will be really appriciated

 

[ruaround]

i dont think it was nitrates...I have 2 yellow tangs an undulated trigger, and a velvet damsel in a 55 gal...the nitrates are always around 60ppm. there are several articles out there that state nitrates alone are not toxic...but a barometer of tank health
check it out
<a href="http://www.bestfish.com/tips/012998.html" target="_blank">http://www.bestfish.com/tips/012998.html</a>

 

[ruaround]

It is indeed cramped...have plans to upgrade them to a 150 gal...I was green when added all this stuff in the tank...I'll admit it I just wanted alot of cool fish and didnt do any research...they have lived together for going on four years now...I introduced the tangs together after the trigger...Over the last 2 years I have read alot about tanks and know that they need more room...As soon as finances permit it they will get a new home!

 

[mommyfish]

really..? so nitrates don't cause instant death? my LFS said nitrates KILL...hmmmmm werid mystery here...i only have a filter in my tank with bio filteration...maybe a skimmer or uv sterilizer? to help get all the gunk out of the water? by the way...the tang died of ich...so now i really don't know what happened...he was a sailfin tang...i'm heartbroken over the loss

 

[dad]

ok Here it is;
A high nitrate does not kill as you lfs said.

 

[drew_tt]

nitrAtes slowly kill
nitrItes will kill without a doubt...you sure they said trAtes and not trItes?

 

[kelly]

MommyFish,
Please give us a little more info about your tank setup so we can advise on how to control your nitrates. Do you have a DSB? What do you mean by "a filter in my tank with bio filteration", please expound a little. How often do you do water changes, how often do you feed your fish and what/how much, any live rock, etc.
A good protein skimmer will definately help, and I would highly recommend one. If you have not checked for ammonia or nitrites, I would highly recommend checking both, the both can kill in a matter of hours.
Any other information would be help us help you, like how long your tank was up, etc.

 

[krusk]

yes, agree with Kelly
give us more info please

 

[mommyfish]

oh sorry...i forgot to give some details...i have a 30 gal tank, about 2 inch bed of sand, 25 pounds of live rock. Marineland filter with bio wheels...
1 clow fishm 1 lawnmower blenny, and a Strawberry dottyback. I going to buy a skimmer for sure now...let it run in the tank for about a month before adding ANYTHING...i'm gonna get it right this time around...i haven't checked the nitrites...i will in a few mins...i checked the ammonia today....its non detectable...nitrates are 40.0 now....is that still bad??????